How to Play the Wii on a Laptop Computer

Written by brenton shields

Share

Tweet

Share

Pin

Email

(Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images)

Whether you're on the go or in a dorm, the ability to take your Nintendo Wii and play it wherever you go can go a long way in keeping your downtime interesting. Luckily, if you have a laptop computer and a few extra minutes of time, you can hook your Wii up to it and play it practically wherever you are in just a few simple steps with the help of a video capture card.

Instructions

Install and run the video capture card's software, which should come on a CD. The installation instructions will vary among specific brands of video cards, so consult your owner's manual.

3

Connect the Wii's RCA output cables to the RCA input of the video capture card. To make the proper connection, match the colour of the wire heads to the colour of the rings around the inputs.

4

Tape the Wii's motion bar to the top of your laptop monitor as you would place it on a TV. The motion bar captures motion from the Wii-motes and is extremely light, easily securing down with two or three strips of Sellotape.

5

Plug the Wii into a power outlet and turn it on; the console should begin playing through your laptop's monitor via the video capture card's software, which should be displayed in a window which you can typically maximise to take up the whole screen.

Tips and warnings

Get a capture card with a very fast response time to ensure there are no delays in processing the video signal through the capture card--any delays will make most games frustrating and difficult to play.

As well as a PCI card input, some video capture devices use a USB port, which can be more convenient for your needs, particularly if your PCI card slot is already taken up with a graphics card or wireless card.